1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connector assemblies and more particularly it concerns a novel connector strip and mounting assembly which provides safe and convenient ground connection to a ground bus inside the connector strip.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,273 describes a multiple connector strip of the general type to which this invention pertains. This connector strip comprises an elongated insulative block in which are contained a plurality of closely spaced electrical signal contacts in the form of spring fingers. A ground strip extends along the inside of the block and this ground strip itself has spring fingers. The block is also provided with apertures into which printed circuit elements can be inserted; and when these elements are inserted into the connector strip they contact and make electrical connection with the spring fingers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,885 shows another form of connector strip, which does not have an internal ground strip. This patent shows a connector strip mounting arrangement comprising a pair of metal earthing strips having tags along their upper edges. These tags serve to mount the connector strips and also to supply ground potential to fitted extra equipment such as a surge diverter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,091 also shows a connector strip which is mounted on tabs which extend up from an earthing or ground element. In this patent, additional tabs, separate from the mounting tabs, are bent up from the bottom of the ground element and contact surge diverters inside the connector strip.
A problem arises when the connector strip mounting tab is also used to provide ground connection to a ground strip inside the connector strip. Specifically, it is difficult to make adequate contact so that substantial amounts of current can be handled in case of voltage surges. As a result, when such voltage surges occur, the electrical conductors overheat and in some cases may even melt the plastic material of the connector strip.
Another problem occurs when separate ground tabs are bent up out of the bottom of the ground element, particularly when the connector strip must be held a substantial distance above the ground element. The problem occurs because the ground tab must be quite long, and since it is cantilevered, it cannot be firmly fixed in position.